After seeing its six-game winning streak snapped in Saturday's doubleheader opener, the Emory University baseball team erupted for 20 runs as it earned an afternoon split with Covenant College at Chappell Park in Atlanta.
Following the teams' combined 26-run effort Friday afternoon, game two of the series was a pitcher's duel with the Scots' Andrew Cline leading Covenant to the 3-2 win. The Eagles were quick to right the ship in the night cap, scoring 17 runs across the first two innings en route to the 20-8 win in the series finale.
The Eagles now stand 8-2 overall through the first month of the season while Covenant sits at 6-4 following the three-game series.
Game 1 – Covenant 3, Emory 2 (7 innings)
Covenant's Cline stymied a red-hot Emory offense in the first game of the afternoon, allowing two unearned runs on three hits in six innings of work. He struck out one and walked two.
The Eagles did their damage in the second inning with junior Jake Kessinger doubling home senior Jacob Greene before Kessinger came around as junior Zack Atlas reached base safely via a throwing error.
The Scots had back-to-back RBI doubles by Hunter Christian and Brett Kernodle to tie the game in the third before eventually taking the lead with a bases loaded walk in the fifth.
Emory as a team issued 12 free passes but were able to limit the damage, forcing Covenant to leave 17 men on base.
Game 2 – Emory 20, Covenant 8 (7 innings)
Before people were able to settle into their seats for the beginning of the second contest of the afternoon, the Eagles blitzed the Scots to the tune of six runs in the first and 11 runs in the second to leap in front 17-0.
The Eagles tacked on three more runs over the game's final two innings before the mercy rule was enforced as Emory reached the 20-run plateau for just the eighth time in school history and the first time since March 24, 2010 when that Emory club scored 22 against Sewanee.
Junior Jack Rubenstein collected a career-high five hits in a 5-for-5 effort with a triple and two RBI. Greene had another five RBI performance, his second of the series, as he went 3-for-3 and launched his first home run of the season.
The Eagles saw two home runs total in the game as junior Michael Edelman also went deep as part of Emory's six-run first. The Eagles as a team hit for the cycle in the inning with eight of the first nine men that came to plate reached base safely.
Edelman finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored. Junior Caleb Shulman had a three-hit performance of his own, posting a 3-for-6 line and tied for the team lead with senior Ryan Adelman (1-for-4, 2 RBI) with four runs scored.
Pitching wise, senior James Robertson notched his first win of the year, tossing five frames and allowing three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four.
Emory returns to the diamond Tuesday afternoon with a rematch against in-state foe Berry College. First pitch at Chappell Park is scheduled for 2:00 PM.